


Sparking A Connection

by theprincessed



Category: Emmerdale RPF
Genre: Clubbing, Drinking, Drunken Kissing, First Meetings, Hand Jobs, M/M, Semi-Public Sex, auditions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-04
Updated: 2016-04-04
Packaged: 2018-05-31 05:51:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6458464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theprincessed/pseuds/theprincessed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryan auditions for the role of Robert Sugden and gets way more than he bargained for.</p>
<p>A.K.A the (completely untrue) story of how Ryan and Danny first met.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sparking A Connection

**Author's Note:**

> Oh god, here we go again! I advise that you completely suspend your disbelief about the auditioning process in this fic because I know nothing and just went with it lol. Basically, it started off as a cute 'first meeting' fic with banter and ended as something else, but it is fun and I guess a PWP instead. :) Danny Miller is a total MINX. Naturally, Ryan had to gain the upper hand somehow...
> 
> Now I really hope these two leave my brain alone for a bit lol. This fic finished _triple_ the length of my first one. Also, sorry about the _terrible_ title. I tried everything, but damn PWPs are hard to name.
> 
> To my hell pals, hope you enjoy. x

The taxi stops in Leeds city centre and Ryan thanks the driver and steps out onto the busy street. As the taxi pulls away into the distance, he breathes in and looks up. He's stood outside a tall, but nondescript office block and the familiar coiled spring of nerves start to unfurl in his stomach because today is an audition like no other. His career has had a fairly solid incline up to now, but he's under no illusion that this opportunity is like something from a whole other league. It doesn't exactly help calm him that no one knows he's here, but somehow that's as exciting as the audition, the thought of nailing it and popping round to his mum's to tell her the good news.

He squares his shoulders, breathes out and walks through the doors, trying not to put his game face on too early because this character definitely requires one and he's not exactly sure how employees in the building would react to him swanning in like he owns the place. Auditions are his profession's interviews and he needs to make a good first impression, so he's pleasant and confident to everyone he meets, giving the bored looking receptionist a sunny smile and nod as she tells him what's what. 

Ten minutes later and sat in a small square of chairs with one other guy who's got a serious case of restless leg syndrome, the door to the right of Ryan's view opens and a tall man with mousey brown hair is directed out by a young woman holding a folder. Ryan happens to look past their parting words and spots another door open down the short corridor, clearly the audition room, and half of a young man with dark hair and perfect stubble. His mouth is moving, chatting away to whoever else is in the room and he looks so relaxed. Ryan feels his nerves do a complicated somersault and he quickly sits back in his chair because he knows who that is. Chances are, _everyone_ knows who that is. Shit just got real.

With Restless having arrived before him, Ryan watches him disappear down the corridor and eventually come back out again, a slight shake of the head at himself indicating that he let the occasion overwhelm his audition. Ryan's jaw clenches and he puts his game face on, 100% ready to do his best as the young woman from earlier greets him with a warm smile.

He nails it. 

Or at least as far as he's concerned he does and it's even better that his potential co-star Danny seems like a nice bloke. His eyes dance with hidden mischief and Ryan's helpless to smile in return, enjoying his vibe and company, despite the fact that he's not really had an audition like this before. The producers explain that it's rare they'd conduct one this way, make a joke that Danny's too nosy for his own good and reassure Ryan that it's just a case of observing their natural chemistry, if they have any. He understood why that is before giving the nod to his agent about coming to the audition and it's rather lovely that the showrunners want to get a storyline like this right, as they bring back an incredibly well known character in Robert Sugden. The name skitters around Ryan's mind like a pinball, testing out how it fits and secretly liking the outcome, even moreso when Danny waves away the young female assistant from her job and escorts Ryan out of the room himself.

“Do all auditionees get this treatment or am I special?” he jokes somewhat feebly as Danny shuts the door behind them.

Luckily, he smiles. “We should go for a drink.”

Well, he hadn't been expecting that. “I'm sorry, what?” Ryan says, confused by the non-sequitur. 

But Danny's patient with him, understanding that his head's a little all over the place. “There's a pub down the road, let's go for a drink and who knows, you might get a phonecall today.”

Ryan's eyebrows disappear behind his fringe he's so surprised. “Seriously? What – how?” Auditions don't usually work like that at all.

Danny taps the side of his nose – actually _taps the side of his nose_ \- and bumps shoulders with him. “Mate, this show works in weird and wonderful ways.”

The chatter is equally easy as the producers break for lunch and Ryan follows Danny to the nearest pub, tasked with picking a booth as Danny gets them a couple of cokes.

“Figured I'd be sensible for once,” he grins. “Hey, good choice.” he adds as he takes in the corner they've sat down in. Ryan guessed that somewhere away from the windows was a solid bet. He knows Danny's not so famous that he can't do everyday things like have a drink in a pub without being interrupted, but he thought he'd be polite nonetheless. They sip their drinks and the silence is surprisingly not too awkward, but Danny breaks it anyway before Ryan can think of what's best to say next. “Sorry we couldn't get anything else. Apparently day drinking makes me look like an alkie or somethin',”

The laugh bursts out of him before Ryan can stop it. “Is that what they told you to do? The Powers That Be? Take him out for a midday piss up, see if he embarrasses himself and report back?”

“Fuck no, but you've given me an idea for if I ever have to do this again!” he exclaims, laughing as well. Once their giggles have gone, he looks at Ryan very shrewdly. “Y'know, mate, I knew we'd get on.”

“Yeah? You're talking like I've got this all sewn up.”

Danny leans forward, a cheeky look on his face as he drops his voice conspiratorially. “Well, between me and you, I'd be alright with it if you got the gig.”

It's said a lot in jest, but Ryan's touched all the same because he feels the same way too. Danny's humble and careful about his work, methodical, but also amiable and up for a bit of good natured fun and he felt some sort of connection between them in that audition room as Ryan gave it his all. 

“Don't let your bosses hear you say that,” he warns, bashful.

Danny shrugs. “Ah trust me, they know what I'm like. The fact that they want my opinion is funny as hell, but I'm milkin' it for all it's worth 'cause who knows when that's gonna happen again!” He pulls his phone from his pocket. “Speaking of, I gotta just make a quick call, yeah?”

“S'alright, I'm a big boy,” Ryan waves him away, “I can sit for five minutes alone. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm older than you anyway.”

“I wanna hear about this when I get back,” Danny smiles, pointing at him before he turns for the door, his phone already to his ear.

It's less than five minutes after he returns to their corner that Ryan's phone starts to ring. He checks the screen and is a little perplexed to see that its his agent, having thought it might be a social call from his mum, but it's nothing out of the ordinary. “Sorry, I've gotta take this.” From the shortest conversation he's ever had with his agent, he drops down into his seat in something of a daze. “That was my agent. I got the job.”

“Really? That's brilliant! Congratulations, I'm buzzin' for ya, mate,” Danny says a little _too_ brightly.

Ryan looks at him, suspicious. “What did you do?” He immediately regrets it because maybe that was a bit too forceful to accuse a TV star of doing something, but Danny chuckles heartily.

“If ya think I've got any kind of clout with that lot then you've got a lot to learn, but all I did was tell them my side of things. The rest was all you.”

“What the hell did you tell them?” he laughs, incredulous and the adrenaline kicking in because _fuck_ , he just booked the biggest – at least most high profile - job of his career to date. “That I'm the greatest actor in the world?”

“No, that title's mine.” he quips then shakes his head, scratching his chin like he's actually embarrassed. “I told them that you seem like a top actor and a top bloke and that I'd be willing to tolerate you if you joined us.”

“Well, that is a ringing endorsement.” His shoulders slump as he can't keep up the sarcasm and banter anymore and it hits him properly what he's just achieved. He stares down into his drink. “Shit. Now I'll have to tell my mum.”

“She doesn't know?”

Ryan looks up and smirks. “Mummy's boy, are we?”

“Very funny. But isn't every bloke? Nah, I meant didn't you tell anyone you were comin' today?”

“No, no one. Thought it best, y'know, not to get people's hopes up.” His mum is going to be so excited, oh god. He's already “my son, the actor”, which is sure to change to “my son, who's in Emmerdale”.

Danny reads his expression. “And by 'people' you mean your mum? Big fan, is she?”

Ryan smiles. “Actually, yeah. It was a big thing in our house, growing up.”

“Ah yes, back in the Dark Ages,”

“Oi, watch it!” he reprimands, giving his shoulder a little shove. “I'm not _that_ much older than you.”

They lapse into ribbing each other for a while and general chat about who's already been cast for the new family Robert's attached to, what working on the soap is like and more serious stuff like charity work before Danny slams down his glass with a note of finality. Ryan checks his watch and sighs happily, pleased as punch that he went in a jobbing actor and came out with a dream role. It's been hours, he and Danny talking for so long, and he should probably go home and at least ring his mum to tell her the news. Maybe her excitement will be less to deal with down the phone.

“We should go out.” Danny tells him suddenly, halting his daydream of a hot shower and celebratory cuddles with Tommy.

“We are out,” he says slowly, feeling a bit awkward for not instantly getting what he means. His head's a mess of emotions.

“I mean, out out, y'know, get the beers in! Wait, lemme call Adam to see if he wants to join and _don't_ even say no to this because it's a night of celebration and you just told me you're not old,”

Ryan closes his mouth and pushes his fringe out of his eyes, giving Danny a look he's free to imagine Robert will use, something deadpan unimpressed and dark. “Tell me, do you bulldoze everyone you first meet like this?”

“Mate, I do when I know I'm right,” he replies cheerfully, thumbs flying across his phone, “Plus, when you've lived with Adam, you pick up a few tricks.”

“Oh god, am I gonna regret this?”

“Not if you play your cards right, Sunshine.” His eyes sparkle, full of charm. “Besides, we're a team now, you and me. The other lads don't stand a chance against us.”

He's definitely going to regret this.

\----

They end up in a club Danny's friend of a friend of a friend or some shit recommended and it's surprisingly busy and deafening with dance remixes before Ryan remembers that it's Friday and, for most people, the night is only getting started. Adam Thomas did indeed say yes to beers, although where he's disappeared to now is anyone's guess.

“Hiya, I'm Adam,” he said with a big grin on arrival.

Ryan shook his hand, already sensing him and Danny together were trouble. “Ryan,” he shouted back, leaning in to his ear.

“Ah, the newbie!”

He shrugged, trying to be calm about it even though every mention made his heart sing and Danny must've namechecked him already to Adam in his texts for him to recognise him so quickly. “As of today, yeah,”

“Danny doesn't hang around, mate,” he nodded sagely, whipping his head round to see if he can spot him because now Adam had chosen to stick close by, Danny's missing. “Very determined fella. Sees what he wants, goes out and gets it.”

Ryan wasn't sure what to make of that, so he smiled at the time and he's still unsure as Danny finds him in the corner, drink in hand. He comes barrelling up to him, face slightly flushed from the heat of the room and the alcohol he's happily been knocking back. Adam slaps him on the shoulder and laughs, swallowed by the moving crowd that spreads out towards the dancefloor and straight into the path of a group of attractive young ladies.

“Y'alright? Having fun?”

Ryan looks at Danny as he leans on the bar next to them to catch his breath. “Sure...if I'm celebrating by myself with cameo appearances by you and your co-star,”

“Ooh alright, sassypants! Got some fire in ya after all!” he crows, suddenly slinging an arm across his shoulders, Ryan ducking just in time not to have his head smacked into by the flailing, “You're gonna fit right in, the boys are gonna love ya and if they don't...well, fuck 'em,”

“I'd prefer if they did at least like me, thanks. Would make working there a lot easier.”

Danny pats his chest, his hand red-hot through Ryan's very thin jumper. He's starting to feel too hot in his jacket but hadn't thought to see whether there was a cloakroom here, so cool beers have had to suffice. “You're funny,” Danny grins, swaying into his personal space. Ryan looks down at his feet before his eyes snap up quickly to the prickle of Danny's stubble and his lips pressing briefly to his cheek.

“Er. Well.” he fumbles awkwardly as his face heats up in a surprised blush, at a real loss for words. He shakes himself out of it when Danny pats his chest again with an air of distraction and Ryan tries to catch his eye. “How much have you had to drink?” he chuckles, admiring the guy's fun-loving lack of pretension and his bright red trainers to match.

“I dunno, I haven't been countin',” he confesses, alcohol rounding out his consonants and flashing Ryan a crooked smile before he turns out from under Ryan's arm. “Right, come on.”

“Where are we going? What about Adam?” he shouts hurriedly as he finishes the last of his current drink and Danny gestures for him to follow, empty-handed.

He doesn't answer so is either ignoring him (which, _rude_ ) or didn't hear him over the loud music, so Ryan has no choice but to go after him. He hesitates when they come to the men's, but Danny seems to have no such qualms and stumbles through with a quiet giggle. It's not exactly deserted, guys coming in and out all the time, so he hasn't got long to loiter indecisively before he sighs and joins him, suddenly concerned that he's okay. It wouldn't look too good to his new bosses to bear witness to his co-star getting drunk and _not_ make sure he's safe. 

He finds him leaning against the wall of the first free stall. “This what you do at those PAs, is it?” he comments dryly, putting a hand to Danny's shoulder.

He smiles at him, glassy-eyed, pushes the door open to check it's vacant then grabs a fistful of Ryan's jumper to drag him into the cubicle with him. Even alcohol-impaired, he's surprisingly strong, his biceps flexing against the short sleeves of his checked shirt as Ryan's back hits the wall and the stall shakes from the impact. Danny still has one hand twisted in his clothes and the other comes to rest on the wall as he leans in and plants a kiss on Ryan's mouth. It's surprisingly soft and gentle and he pulls away a second later, but doesn't move far, staring eye to eye as Ryan tries to gather his wits amidst Danny standing so close he can feel his breath on his lips. He nods at the unspoken question and gasps as Danny surges forward to kiss him harder, hand tight in his thick hair. The feel of his leg trying to slide between his thighs is the last straw and he needs to get his jacket off _now_ , scrabbling at his arms and dropping it carelessly to the floor. Danny tries to break away because god knows what's ingrained in club floors these days but he started this and Ryan's not going to let him back off over something so insignificant, so he raises his hands to his chest and shoves, smiling a little as Danny stumbles into the opposite wall. His stubble is turning Ryan's mouth raw but he can't stop kissing him, tongues sliding together and Danny's hands sliding underneath his jumper, pulling him in by his shoulder blades until Ryan wriggles a warm hand between them, feeling out the shape of him.

Danny pries himself away, lips smacking apart. “Christ, you need to - ” he pants, biting down on his lip as Ryan smoothly moves to his neck and grinds his palm between his legs.

“Anything,” he vows, breathing in where the scent of him is strong and present and _here_.

“Fuck, touch me, please, go on, do it,” he babbles and then groans as Ryan leans his forehead against his temple and pushes his fingers past his waistband to curl around his cock. 

It's all too familiar, picking up a slow and steady pace to stroke him into full hardness and this is going to invade Ryan's thoughts for days, weeks even, and he shivers at how wet Danny is already, that he's the cause and the answer, his hands grabbing at the bicep holding him to the wall and threaded through the back of Ryan's hair as he lightly draws his fingers along his shaft, pressing in to the ridges underside the whole length, gentle then firm. Ryan watches him go crazy for it, shuddering against his body, so he does it over and over, back to kissing properly and his slippery touch corkscrewing up and down to increase the friction.

“Fuck, you've got fuckin' paws for hands, don't ya?” he gasps, rapidly unravelling.

Ryan has no complaints about Danny either, as he undoes his belt to catch up to returning the favour. He no longer tastes much of beer and seems more sober, focused, so Ryan squeezes on every upstroke, drawing more precome out, determined to end this in making him come. He can't help wondering how much better this would be with plenty of lube and finds himself thinking of plans with the dull throb of music in his chest, something bassy, distant and ultimately unimportant as Danny pushes his jeans from his arse and the cold hits the back of his legs. He feels the quiver in Danny's muscles, like he's clinging on for dear life and leans his weight on him, not daring to stand freely, before he quickly grasps his other hand not maddeningly touching his foreskin and presses it pointedly to his thigh. Danny grabs and digs his blunt nails into Ryan's skin, scratching him pink as he twists and wanks him off.

His grip on Danny falters because everything suddenly feels so, so good. “God, yeah, like that,” he urges in his ear, sucking at Danny's softly bristled jawbone, texture rasped to his tongue and Danny's fingertips clamped on the back of his thigh. His jeans are sagging to his knees and he needs to come before anyone can really take notice of what they're doing. The very idea has his face burning with anticipatory embarrassment and he locks eyes with Danny in that moment, feeling him thrust against his clothed stomach and trapped arm in the way. His fingers walk up to his arse and squeeze over his boxers, too close to something they couldn't explain away from being a bit drunk and a lot handsy. He comes with a fist tight under the head of his dick and spills over Danny's fingertips, mouth slack and eyelashes fluttering wildly against Danny's cheek.

He sinks to his knees before he can think twice about it, his jeans still haphazard below his thighs and his jumper sticking to his back with a trickle of sweat. He noses at Danny's shirt, kissing along his stomach as his hands make quick work of actually getting his cock out. He can't see much in such poor light, but can tell from the weight and the girth of him that he'd be like heaven to blow, solid and mouth-watering, if it hadn't been an absolute age since he'd done this last. He leans in and mouths at his balls instead, continuing to make the most of surprising Danny with his moves, listening to him moan quiet obscenities through clenched teeth and grab a fistful of Ryan's ruined hair, pulling hard as he shakes with orgasm.

With his own high having worn down to a pleasantly satisfied lilt, Ryan's knees start to protest their ill treatment and he staggers to his feet, vaguely pulls his jeans up to cover the necessary and nuzzles tiredly into Danny's neck. He squishes their fingers together unthinkingly and they start to laugh as they realise what he's done, giggling like naughty schoolboys at their come-stained hands.

“This is so grim,” Danny winces, but there's still mirth in his voice.

“Yeah, sorry,” Ryan drops a kiss to his neck in apology, secretly having missed the casual way of being messy in so long. “Pissed bathroom handjobs usually are.”

Never mind the fact that he was two seconds away from sucking him off and they both know it.

Never mind that Danny also brings them back down to earth with a bump.

“Come on, we better clean up and find Adam.”

Ryan groans, disgusted. “That's my buzz well and truly killed. Don't you know the rule?” he asks, but can't help grinning. He's got a feeling that with banter like this he and Danny are going to be great friends and hopefully an electric partnership on-screen when the time finally comes.

“Maybe if you hadn't tried to hold jizz hands I'd give more of a fuck, mate,” he sniffs, reaching behind his back for the toilet roll.

Ryan laughs and cups his jaw to kiss him chastely. “We're alright though, yeah? This doesn't change things?”

“Not unless you've got something against pretty decent handies, no. Listen, we're cool. _Fuck_ ,” he adds feelingly, distracted as he hands Ryan the paper and watches him wipe his fingers until they can wash their hands properly at the sinks outside. “Your hands really are fuckin' massive though. How do you deal with those things?”

Ryan shrugs then smirks. “You tell me.”

Danny shoves at his shoulder, so he shoves back and things are back to normal. The club's still standing, the music too loud, the alcohol flowing.

If they can do that and remain friends, Ryan's got the feeling that working with Danny is going to be very interesting indeed.

If he pulls out some of the same moves a few weeks later when filming their characters' first kiss then only they'll ever know.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


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